The Thief
by FrayedAuthor
Summary: She wasn't planning to save him, he was the king, he was annoying, they were outnumbered, they'd be killed...if it wasn't for that amulet...they'd be dead...why it reacted to her was beyond both of their understanding, but it did, and now they had two problems on their hands. The assassins and the raw power coursing through her veins...they're in for quiet an adventure.
1. Meet The Thief

**Author's Note: **

**Hello! I am new to FanFiction as an author but I've been reading some stories on here for quiet some time, I finally decided to try and post a story here so I hope it turns out ok :) **

**Reviews are nice and I'll take any recommendations for writing and helpful tips as well, since this is my first story after all, I'll take all the help I can get xD **

**Btw all animals in this story who live in the kingdoms are human-like, meaning they're about the same height and everything but they're still animals…..so yeah, hope that makes some sense. **

**Ok so uh, here's the first chapter! **

* * *

_**Chapter 1: Heart Made of Ice**_

The Seville kingdom is a grand expanse of land, the three brothers had split it between themselves and rule it all quiet well, though each of their private kingdoms and towns all have different systems they don't really stray too far from each other.

King Simon's kingdom is neat and tidy, he has an abundance of schools and research facilities, he prides himself and his people on being both clean and smart, all children must attend school and parents are encouraged to work. His kingdom is where most of the children go for school, they even leave the other kingdoms to attend.

King Theodore's isn't too different, though his kingdom mainly consists of farm lands and open space, his people are content with plowing the fields and holding annual feasts and baking festivals, this is where most of the food production is located and the three kingdoms share the crops among their citizens.

King Alvin's kingdom is quiet different from his brothers', where they keep an eye on crime and strive to be peaceful his kingdom tends to house the less….kindly citizens and he is in charge of the army and weapon crafting, not that he cares, it's far more interesting than schooling and baked goods.

The three brothers' are fine kings, but when there are leaders, there are people who wish to destroy those leaders. And for these three brothers it is no different.

They have enemies far and wide, seeking to destroy them.

* * *

"Brittany, you can't keep doing this," A light blonde chipette stands before an open window, the cool morning air rushes in to greet them and carry with it the scent of warm dough, she was kneading a fresh batch of dough on the counter top while an apple pie cools on the window ledge.

Although she still works at the dough her soft spring green eyes were fixed on her sister, who watches her from the doorway, "What do you mean?"

"I mean…stealing, why do you do it? We have plenty-"

"No we don't Ellie, we really don't, Jeanette can't go to the school she wants and needs to without working three different jobs just to afford the classes, you have to use most of our food to cook meals to sell just so we can at least have more food on our plates, this isn't enough," The auburn furred chipette locks gazes with her youngest sister, her bright blue eyes hard and cold, it was sometimes hard to see the good intentions hidden beneath her frozen gaze.

Eleanor turns away from her, her blonde pigtails swaying softly as a stronger breeze ripples through the kitchen, "It's still not kind," She says softly, ignoring the tinkling of items clanging together in the brown sack hoisted over the other girl's shoulder.

"Yeah well, I didn't kill for this stuff, and I stole from wealthy people,"

"Brittany Eleanor I'm home!"

"Shit," Brittany hurries off quickly, her footfalls not making a sound on the faded wooden floor as the front door squeaks loudly on it's hinges, closing behind their bespectacled sister.

"In here Jeanette!"

The tallest of the three sisters hurries into the kitchen to set her book bag down on the table, "How are you?" She adjusts her glasses, violet hued eyes ringed with dark circles, but they still glowed with kindness as she moves over to her sister to help slice up apples.

"I'm good…..Brittany is stealing again," Eleanor accepts the help, gazing worriedly at the dark furred girl beside her, Jeanette glances over her shoulder towards the living room.

"I've noticed, I found new books in my school bag this morning, my teacher was asking how I managed to get them, I lied and said they were a birthday present," She smiles softly, "Things will get better, we're poor but our kings are working to make everything better…their father wasn't the most pleasant man and they're trying their hardest to clean up the mess he left,"

Eleanor nods, rolling out the dough as she chews at her lip, "I just worry for her, it's dangerous and I don't want her to be thrown into jail,"

"She won't, I hate to admit it but she's really good at what she does, she won't get caught," The two youngest share a hopeful look as they continue to prepare the next pie, a warm silence settles over them as they work, and Brittany slips out onto the streets.

* * *

"Filthy rodent! How dare you steal from the church!" Brittany sucks in a sharp breath as the blow to her stomach knocks the air clean from her lungs, the chipette snickers as she blows her bangs out of her eyes.

"They're candle sticks, not the statue you dolt, I'm not that stupid," She huffs rolling her eyes skyward as another sharp blow is delivered to her stomach, she gags and hunches over, straining against the tight grips on her arms.

The king's men sure were on top of their game today, "You dare insult me!" Another well aimed punch cuts into her side this time and she nearly lets out a strained cry as her ribs ache painfully, they'd be bruised for sure.

The jackal sniffs and looks to the two men holding her up, "Tie her hands, she'll be brought before the council,"

Brittany spits at the ground with a huff, "The Council isn't fair and you know it, they see a dirt covered girl and they'll lob my head off without a second thought, bring me before the King, he's more fair,"

The jackal growls at her, adjusting the blood red coat adorning his chest as he looks to his men again, as if debating what to do.

"Fine, but if the King decides to behead you, that is final,"

"Yeah whatever….." Brittany allows them to tie her hands behind her back, the rough rope is fairly thick and she curses mentally, her claws wouldn't cut through that in time…..but she can try.

Ignoring the guards she gets to work, slowly sawing at her binds as she's dragged through the streets up towards the castle, she also ignores the gawking citizens around them and tries to ignore the children pointing and asking questions.

A pretty loud child catches her attention as his mother drags him into a clothing store, "Look mother! She's so filthy, are all criminals that dirty?"

The mother looks flustered, as if she didn't want to answer, "Y-yes dear most are, they're poor after all…."

"So all poor people are criminals?"

Brittany snarls, "We're not criminals you little brat, we're survivors, we don't get the pleasures of having mommy look after us day after day, some of us lost our parents, so I'd quit making assumptions and being so damn nosy, and try to keep your trap closed as well,"

One of the guards shoves her hard, nearly sending her nose first into the dirt as the child begins to cry, clutching his mother's leg as he sobs, "M-mother she's mean!"

Rolling her eyes she lets them shove her again, pass the last few shops as whispers echo after her.

"So cold…."

"-heart of ice.."

"Empty eyes…"

It doesn't take long for them to reach the castle after that, and Brittany allows them to continue to push her along, her gaze fixed forward as she tries to keep her annoyance under wraps.

She really, really wants to throw a fit and make it hard as hell for them to drag her through the halls, but she needs the King to like her, see her as a regular citizen and let her off with a warning. She needed to get back to her sisters.

"You will bow when brought before him, understand?"

"If I bow how will I stand back up? My hands are tied,"

"You will remain bowing, on your knees, while he makes his decision,"

"Ouch harsh,"

Brittany watches in mild curiosity as a set of large dark wood doors comes into view, the guards at the doors nod at their companions before opening the doors, the sweet scent of freshly baked sweets and various perfumes fill her nose, she nearly gags.

The whole room is overwhelming, hundreds of candles hang from the ceiling, cradled in a glass chandelier and colored glass makes up most of the windows, though they aren't put together to create images like she thought, he didn't seem too interested in that….

"King Alvin, we bring you the thief," A hard shove to her back sends her to knees, she had been so distracted by the warmly lit room that she had failed to notice they arrived before the throne, she glares at the guard who pushed her before looking up at the king.

He stares down at her with smoldering golden eyes, an eyebrow quirked up in curiosity as he leans forward, she notices a girl off to his side but she was busy drinking, probably an affair of some sort, "_The?" _He asks, golden eyes drifting to his guards.

"Yes sir, we've noticed an increase in crime down in the slums and although we caught various other thieves the crime did not decrease, she has been responsible for most,"

The king nods thoughtfully, gaze returning to her, "Please sir, I only want to look after my family…"

She was good at playing damsel, after all, she's nearly been caught a few times before but her charm and innocent demeanor let her slip past her captors.

The russet munk rubs his chin thoughtfully and she realizes he isn't wearing a single piece of jewelry, he isn't even wearing his crown, but she does see the glint of a golden chain disappearing under his shirt, "Toss her into a cell until I decide what to do,"

"Yes sir,"

Terror fills her, and it quickly turns to rage, "What? I've only stolen! I haven't killed anyone, you can't slaughter me on simple charges!" She surges to her feet, and steps up towards him, straining against the ropes on her wrists as one of the guards yanks her back by her hair, tears spring to her eyes as others hurry forward to drag her off.

Alvin watches her go silently, finding it amusing as she bites one of his guards on the nose and head-butts another in the stomach, but there were too many and soon she was dragged down to the jail.

"Ugh they're like wild animals….." His ears twitch as the girl….he couldn't remember her name, grows bored of her drink and drapes herself over his arm, tracing a lazy pattern on his neck with a manicured claw.

"Some are," He agrees, unable to get the girl's piercing blue gaze from his mind, he might hold her for awhile, she was interesting.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed :) **


	2. Curses and Cuts

**Author's Note:**

**I guess you guys like this one? I hope so because I will be continuing it, it'll be slower with the updates unless you guys really really like it, then I'll update as often as I can!**

**Thank you for all the reviews last chapter, here's the second (finally)**

* * *

The overwhelming stench of rat droppings and mold made her stomach churn and she can feel bile sitting at the back of her throat.

Her arms are slightly numb from leaning into them and she shivers, the cold stone seeps through the tattered clothing as she finally snaps the rope free.

Brittany huffs and rubs at her raw wrists, blowing warm air into her palms she rubs together as she stands, dusting herself down she walks calmly up to her cell door.

"So….I just sit here then?" She asks, peeking between the bars, straining to get a glimpse of her guards.

But the hallway is silent…..she's pretty sure she's the only one behind bars and it seems that her guards expected her to remain that way considering that there isn't a single one down her watching over her like a hawk.

Oh well, that just means it'll be easier to escape, reaching up with pulls a pin from her auburn locks, ignoring the few wavy strands that fall lose as she begins to pick the cell's lock.

It barely took her a minute, the lock was mere child's play to the thief and she tucks the pin back into her hair for safe keeping.

Cautiously she moves along the hallway, just because she couldn't hear them and they couldn't hear her doesn't mean that they're far gone…..they could've been napping for all she knows.

The cells were actually a floor above the castle's actual basement, she heard her captors discussing it and wondering aloud why the King never allows them to the lowest level, but then again who wants to go to a floor where there's no windows or light?

Brittany isn't fond of dark cramped places and she's thankful that their cells have windows and the King keeps many candles burning, giving his castle a warm honey glow…..just like his eyes.

She shakes her head firmly as she ascends the stairs, paws barely making a sound on the stone as she feels her cheeks heat up slightly, she is not going to swoon over King Alvin like every other girl does.

They say he's the most handsome of his brothers…though she also heard that King Simon and King Theodore are also quiet charming, though she'd rather not meet them…..unless it's under better circumstances.

Brittany pauses at the top of the stairs, staring blankly down a long hallway that branches off in various directions and rooms…she should've paid closer attention to her surroundings when they dragged her to the jail…then again she was still woozy from being punched in the gut again.

Rubbing at her tender stomach she starts off down the carpeted hall, ears trained forward as she glances quickly into each open room she passes.

_So far so_-"Hmph!" Brittany bumps into another being, panic fills her quickly and she turns to run but a low unearthly groan stops her short.

Staggering back a few steps she lets herself take in the being she ran into…it's not even human.

The decaying black figure blinks wide white eyes at her, it's mouth hangs open and black ooze drips from it's jaws and onto the carpet, burning a swift hole in the thick fabric.

All her hair stands on end when she realizes that it's face is the only thing close to being normal, it's body is hunched over at an unsettling angle and the rest of it's body is just a black mass…..no legs or feet, just black slick flesh that reminds her of a slug's body, does it move in the same way?

She doesn't really want to stick around and find out, yanking a candle off the wall she lunges forward and thrusts the burning end into the creature's center, watching in awe as a horrible screech escapes its messy mouth and the area around the flame bursts with bubbles before caving in.

The creature wretches away and scurries off quickly, away from her and the flame.

"What is that thing…?" Brittany watches it go, confused and frightened by the sight she clutches the candle close and takes off running in the opposite direction.

It doesn't take her long to find out where all the guards went.

She didn't make it to the throne room, rather she was in a large dining hall and every guard in sight was battling one of those black creatures…..and people dressed in dark crimson wielding poisoned weapons.

Her eyes sweep the battle quickly and she catches sight of a flash of gold, her eyes land on the King, keeping an assassin at bay with a long blade he was rather good at it…but if she knows anything about assassins she knows they play dirty.

Brittany looks around wildly, spotting a discarded bow she scoops it up and takes off running across the eminence room, ducking sparring bodies she comes across a few arrows but a lot of them are snapped and she only manages to get one arrow notched in the bow.

Leaping over the table she lights the tip of the arrow on fire with a candle just as one of the creatures comes up behind the King and grabs hold of him, pinning his arms down the munk struggles desperately as the assassin reaches for the chain around his neck.

She aims for the creature's eyeless face as the assassin rips an amulet from the King's neck, letting the arrow lose she watches in grim satisfaction as it buries itself in the creature's face and it erupts into flames.

Screeching it rears back and he takes the opening, lunging forward he tries to sink his blade into the assassin but they dart aside with keen swiftness, Brittany is there in a moment, leaping off the table she knocks the dark clothed being to the ground where the snatches the amulet from their grasp.

Her whole arm explodes with pain and she screams, rearing back her hand won't release the blue and gold piece of jewelry despite how much hot pain races up her arm.

She tries to shake it lose but it feels glued to her palm and as her other hand comes into contact with the assassin beneath her she feels the fire race through her entire being and into her foe who thrashes wildly beneath her before going still.

Her breath is coming in rabid bursts and her vision blurs, everything smears together into a mess of colors and sound, her body feels light and her head is racked with dizziness…she welcomes the darkness.

* * *

Jerking awake she tries to stagger to her feet, wanting to escape the amulet, fear still fresh in her mind and body she struggles against a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey!" His voice snaps her back to reality and she realizes she came very close to punching the King in the face.

He raises his eyebrows at her, a cut across his temple oozes fresh blood at the action and she squints, staring at it, "You're hurt,"

"Yes? And so are you, we had to move quickly so I couldn't afford to play nursemaid, but we should be far enough now," He turns away from her and she takes the opportunity to sit up and take in their surroundings.

She's sitting in the back of the nicest carriage she's ever seen…and she feels the cool press of metal against her throat, glancing down she catches the twinkle of blue and the flash of gold.

The amulet is resting around her neck.

"It likes you a whole lot better than me," Turning her gaze to the munk she feels all the color drain from her face, she can feel the warm humming emanating from the amulet and her pulse skyrockets.

"I-it's cursed…"

"…Yes, it is,"

She hits him now, punching him hard in the shoulder she doesn't feel comforted by his yelp of pain and surprise, no…she still feels the dreadful crawl of terror working its way up her spine.

For the first time in a long time…Brittany isn't sure what to do.

* * *

**Uh oh, I wonder what the curse is…..and why Alvin was immune? Huh…..guess we'll find out in the next chapter!**

**Those creatures sound gross too, I wonder how the assassins managed to control them….hmmm?**


End file.
